Bountiful Temple at Sunset

December 27, 2009

I was on my way to the Utah State Fair to take some pictures when, due to a large storm, I decided to head to the Bountiful Temple in Bountiful, Utah. I had been waiting for dramatic skies in order to photograph it and it appeared that I would be blessed with great skies due to the storm. There had also been high winds associated with the storm and the winds had blown a tremendous amount of dust into the air toward the west, so I figured I might also get some nice colors as the sun went down. The photograph below was taken just to the west of the temple and managed to capture the dark storm clouds and the red highlights as the sun set. If you look at the trees in the foreground you can see how strong the wind was blowing. They are slightly blurry due to movement. The following photo was taken as I left the temple. I had packed everything up and was heading home. The road I was on climbs along the south end of the temple and intersects with another street. I stopped at the intersection and turned around to see the scene below. I couldn’t believe [...]

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Merry Christmas 2009

December 24, 2009

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Utah State Capitol

December 22, 2009

This shot was taken in the neighborhood at the foot of Ensign Peak. My initial framing was a wide angle shot that included the Salt Lake Temple on the right and the Wasatch Mountain Range on the left, but I was really unhappy with how they were turning out. They just weren’t compelling enough, didn’t have good lines, and were too busy. I switched to my telephoto lens and began to take shots that really focused on the capitol building and State Street (the long street leading away from the capitol building). I continued shooting as the sun went down and ended up with this shot. I really like how State Street leads away from the capitol building, leading the viewer’s eye into the frame.

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Added Facebook Fan Page

December 22, 2009

In an effort to boost my already inflated ego, I have added a Facebook fan page as another way for people to catch up on the latest goings-on here. I know some people prefer RSS feeds while others prefer Facebook or Twitter. I’ve got them all now, so it is easier to stalk me.

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Main Street Sidewalk in Salt Lake City

December 22, 2009

This is the only photo from my slide film days that I actually like. I took a mountain of awful photos during that time and somehow ended up with this one, but even a stopped clock is right twice per day, right? This shot was on Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah along Temple Square, just east of the Salt Lake Temple. The sidewalk is no longer there, having been replaced when the parkway along Main Street was constructed. I was at the location to shoot the temple and was unhappy with what I’d done to this point. I looked down and noticed the rough texture of the sidewalk so I got on my belly (yes, right in the middle of the sidewalk, with people walking around me) to frame the shot. I liked how the red of the fire hydrant contrasted with the grays of the sidewalk and took the shot. This was one of the transparencies that I really enjoyed when I viewed it on the light box.

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Antelope Island Storm

December 22, 2009

Most people do not believe me when I tell them this shot was taken at Antelope Island, Utah. You see, Antelope Island is rarely this yellow or “lush” due to a lack of rainfall, but if you go out there in the spring and get the right light, it’s amazingly yellow. This shot was taken on a trip where I intended to hike to the top of Frary Peak, the tallest point on Antelope Island. As I hiked along the western side trail, about 100 head of buffalo climbed the ridge where I was walking, placing me smack in the middle of them. I was more scared for my life than I have ever been, dropped my camera pack and prepared to run (though there isn’t anywhere to run). I was very lucky as the buffalo passed by me (some within 30 or so feet) and continued on their merry way. Since my progress was slowed down there was no way I was going to make it to Frary Peak, especially with the oncoming storm, so I began the hike back to my truck. While along the route I looked back and saw this scene. The wind had really picked up and the clouds had [...]

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Henry’s Lake in Island Park, Idaho

December 21, 2009

This photograph was taken on a family vacation to Yellowstone National Park and was near the cabin in which we were staying. The weather was awful nearly the entire trip but for a few hours in the evening of one of the days. As we were driving around taking in the scenery I noticed that this location had some real promise, especially considering the clouds in the sky and the angle of the sun. I decided to stop and shoot photos rather than continue driving and my wonderful family (especially my fabulous wife) were accommodating. This shot was one of the last in the series from that location, with most of the shots being in a horizontal frame and including some mountains to the right of the frame. I ended up not really liking any of the other shots but really liked this one, probably due to the somewhat empty space on the right of the frame isolating the trees to the left.

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Story Behind The Photograph

December 21, 2009

I have received quite a bit of feedback from visitors that they particularly enjoy the story behind my various photos as well as some of the technical and artistic details surrounding the photograph. I’ve told the story behind a few of the latest photos I’ve uploaded, but there are many in the gallery that have not had their story told (no matter how mundane some of them might be). So, at the risk of seeming narcissistic, I’ve decided to tell the story behind the older photos I’ve got in the gallery.

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Site Redesign

December 14, 2009

I’m redesigning the look of the site again. I’ve been looking for something that is a bit more fitting of a photography site (i.e., showcases the photography in a cleaner way than the current, somewhat noisy blog style does) and that has a more polished look to it. I’ve got the template partly ready but will be shortly taking the site down for maintenance while I move some things around. Update: The site has now been moved to the new theme. It think it looks better and does a better job of showcasing my photography.

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